Reviews recent research reports, policy statements, and federal legislation that recognize the arts as a fundamental subject. Discusses different ways of knowing, how the arts enhance learning in other areas, national standards for arts education, outcomes of arts education, and challenges to expanding arts education. Sidebars summarize a national…

Presents a unit for elementary students that focuses on the music of the ancient culture of China during the Tang dynasty. Provides background information on Chinese society, music in ancient China, the relationship between music and poetry and other related arts. Offers two lesson plans with accompanying music and a list of resources. (CMK)

Reviews the standing of value judgments in design and technology education in Scotland; predicts the impact of implementing the National Guidelines for 5-14 Environmental Studies Technology framework on student learning; highlights consequences for teacher education: developing critical awareness, acquiring and assessing information, and…

Examines the rationale behind the British government's method for raising standards in writing at Key Stage 2, noting a renewed drive to teach discreet units of sentence grammar and a fresh commitment to shared and guided writing. Argues that these new measure ignore research on the ways children learn to write and will not lead to a rise in…

Examines the certification program of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), focusing on professionalization, standards, assessment, and certification. Argues that the NBPTS program will ultimately institute more controls on teachers, further distance "professionals" from laypersons, and inhibit collaborative…

British students at all levels are under increasing pressure to perform with respect to targets and objectives in which they have no say. The push to meet government-imposed educational standards has made school more undemocratic than ever. Outdoor education provides students the experience of making choices and facing the consequences, a way to…

Presents a summary of "An Examination of Picture Story Books that Teach Children about Appalachia (Part 1)." Offers an annotated bibliography of 10 picture story books about Appalachia. Each bibliographic entry includes a summary, a listing of Appalachian names and vocabulary words, the target reading audience, and National Council for…

The transfer of matter and energy from one organism to another and between organisms and their physical setting is a fundamental concept in life science. Not surprisingly, this concept is common to the "Benchmarks for Science Literacy" (American Association for the Advancement of Science, [1993]), the "National Science Education Standards"…

This article describes a workshop for parents and middle school students that clarifies an appropriate role for using hand-held technology in learning mathematics. (Contains 3 figures.)

This article presents a brief history of the events leading up to the current US biology education standards, a brief examination of the National Science Education Standards for biology, and a description of the three recently developed biology curricula that were designed to address the new standards. Several evaluative studies of these curricula…

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) was established in 1987 to develop and operate a system of advanced certification; including a set of high and rigorous standards of accomplished teaching and an assessment system designed to measure these standards. Utilizing a qualitative, case study framework, this research project…

Heart monitors, pedometers, and now virtual reality-based equipment (e.g., Cyberbikes, "Dance Dance Revolution") have been embraced by physical educators as technologies worth using in the physical education program; however, the use of computers (be it a desktop, notebook, or handheld) in the physical education instructional program, has not been…

There is widespread understanding of the need to evaluate teacher education programs. Unfortunately, the history of teacher education program evaluations is spotty, evolutionary, and limited in scope. Probably the most fundamental reason that program evaluations are limited is that there has not been a clear, consistent, and shared framework for…

Although it is recognized that teachers play a pivot role in shaping the overall attitudes towards students with disabilities in classrooms, little research has focused on redesigning preservice teacher training programs to facilitate more positive feelings in the interactions between teachers and students with disabilities. Specific factors have…

National standards in social studies, history, civics/government, and geography stress the importance of preparing young people to become active citizens, yet pay little attention to civic leadership. Several only imply that one of a citizen's responsibilities is to assume leadership roles at the community, state, and national level. Only one…